The Liverpool captain was full of praise for the Anfield crowd after another memorable European night saw them power into the Champions League quarter-finals
The only time Virgil van Dijk even looked like losing his cool on a memorable European night at Anfield was when it was suggested there had been a ‘lost connection’ with the fans. His response was stern.
“That is a bit of a question I don’t like,” he said. “I don’t like that tone, to be honest. In all these years at Liverpool, I’ve never questioned them - and I still don’t.”
To be fair to Van Dijk, that much has always been clear. But there is no denying the dynamic between players and supporters at Anfield had been under scrutiny ahead of the thumping win over Galatasaray.
Liverpool were jeered from the field after conceding a late equaliser to Richarlison and Spurs last Sunday and Dominik Szoboszlai had called on the fans to stick with the team through another difficult spell in the season.
And Van Dijk was happy that the crowd did exactly that during a victory that has earned Arne Slot’s side a last-eight Champions League meeting with Paris Saint-Germain.
The Liverpool captain said: “It’s a combination of performance and the fans - they play a big part in that. The fans can probably say if we bring that every week on the pitch then there is no issue and we can say if the fans bring that every three or four days then there is no issue either. It is about doing it together.
“There was a lot at stake, that was pretty obvious, so we had to show how much we wanted it together with our fans, who played a big part. I played in Istanbul and saw how big an impact their fans had on their performance and it was clear to see our fans played a big part in our performance.”
Van Dijk also bridled slightly at the widespread view that Liverpool’s demolition of Galatasaray was easily their best performance of the season. He said: “I think occasionally we have been showing and playing good games but not consistently and on a regular basis and it’s been frustrating for all of us and for the fans as well.
“This season, as players, we take full responsibility for a lot of performances when we have not been good enough. But we have qualified for the last eight (of the Champions League) … that is still a very good thing.
“Someone told me it is my fifth time in eight years so it’s not a given. We shouldn’t take this team for granted and we are not going to do that either.”
Van Dijk was also keen not to go overboard in praise of Mohamed Salah, whose return to form saw him collect his 50th Champions League goal in the 4-0 rout of the Turkish champions. Salah also registered an assist.
“I’m pleased for Mo but I’m pleased for the whole team, first and foremost,” the Dutchman said. “It’s not about an individual, it’s not about one or two players, we go through the same things, all of us, each and every day.
"We have difficult moments ,especially this season, and good moments, and we have to deal with everything together because we need each other. He (Salah) played a good performance in the first half but missed a penalty. In the second half, he kept his calm and got an assist and a goal, but I was pleased for everyone.”